Automatic warning system for electric railways.



E. R. HILL. AUTOMATIC WARNING SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS. APPLICATION FILED MAE.3,1913.

1 131 133, Patented Mar.9,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1,

B EPD GE iIIIIIIF 33) W a hlfllllll w 1 2.9 ,//a n J J 1 73a HI H: lg/H LOW BRIDGE Mme/wok M 76' ma 1 I? V flu THE NORRIS P'ETEPS sh. i-H Cirillirtd, WASHLNGTON, u. c.

ATTORNEYS Patented M21119, 1915.

3 SHEBTSSHEET 2,

3 R M g fiww 6% ?J\ m vim R V 1 N. k A 5 F J on Jkm L k 91 u om mm Q E. R. HILL.

APPLICATION FILED MAE.3,1913.

AUTOMATIC WARNING SYSTEM FOR ELEGTRIG RAILWAYS.

WITNESSES HE NDRRI pr rn': rn PHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON, D, C.

E. R. HILL.

AUTOMATIC WARNING SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

AIQPLIGATION FILED MAR'.3,1913.

1 18L180 Patented Maria, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHBET 3.

r\ Q T Q a s; W1

Nah

i w: 3% T K VLS A WITNESSES h INVEA/TUR $47M 9 W S @1 MATTORA/EVS THE NORRIS PETERS C0,, PHOTdLITHCL. WASHINGWNI D. c.

but as orbit.

AUTOMATIC WARNING SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

Application filed March 3, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERNEST ROWLAND HILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic lVarning Systems for Electric Railways, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

On steam railroads and on electric roads not using an overhead trolley it is customary to install above the track, near low bridges, tunnels, and other obstructions, a rod or wire from which depends a series of ropes ex tending downward to the vicinity of the top of the car and serving as a warning, to the trainmen riding on the top of the car, of the trains approach to the obstruction. On electric railways using an overhead trolley construction it has heretofore been impracticable to provide such warnings, as they interfere with the operation of the trolley es pecially when the latter is of the bow or wide sliding-contact type. On such roads, moreover, the overhead trolley wire under a bridge, tunnel-roof, or like obstruction usually occupies a lower plane than elsewhere, so that it is of the utmost importance to have suitable warnings not only to warn trainmen of the bridge or other obstruction itself but also of the low trolley wire.

I have accordingly been led to devise my present invention, which has for its chief object to provide a simple and effective warning or safety system for electric railways which will give adequate and timely warning to trainmen without interfering with the operation of the trolley.

To this and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of elements hereafter described.

Convenient and effective forms of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a diagrammatic elevation of a simple embodiment. Fig. 2 is a plan View, with certain parts omitted. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modified track-arrangement, and Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the warning devices used with the same. Fig. 5 is a plan view of another modification, and Fig. 5 shows the warning devices used therewith. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic View of a warning system having also means whereby the section of the trolley wire under an overhead Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.. Serial No. 751,811.

obstruction is normally dead but is made alive before the bow or trolley of an electric car or locomotive reaches it. Figs. 7 and 8 show modified arrangements of the track contacts employed in Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating another embodiment of the system exemplified in Fig. 6.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, 10 is intended to represent the overhead construction for example, a low bridge, and 11, 12, are the track rails, while 18 is the trolley wire and 14 the sliding bow or trolley supported on the usual pantograph structure 15. The track section 11-12, which underlies and extends in front of the obstruction 10 is insulated from the rest of the track 16, as indicated in Fig. 2. The tactual warning device or tickler is in the present instance composed of two arms 17, 18, pivoted at 19 to any suitable support (not shown) and is provided with the usual depending ropes or cords 20. These arms are connected by links 21 to the armature 22 of a solenoid 23 in series with a pair of contacts 24, 25, with which cooperates a bridge piece 26 carried by the armature 27 of a suitable relay solenoid 28. This relay solenoid is connected by wires 29 to the insulated rails 11, 12, which latter are connected with any convenient and suitable source of current 30. l/Vhen the track section 11, 12, is empty, the relay solenoid is energized, holding the bridge piece 26 against the contacts 2e, 25, and thereby completing the circuit of solenoid 23 as follows: Contact 24, wire 31, a suitable source of current 83, wires 34 and 35, solenoid 23, wire 86, contact 25, and bridge piece 26 back to contact 24. The solenoid is thus energized, and holds its armature 22 in raised position with the tickler or bridge-warning 1718 drawn up out of the path of the bow l4 and its supporting pantograph. When, however, the car or train traveling in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2 strikes the rails 11, 12, the source 30 is short-circuited by the wheels and axles of the car or train, thereby depriving the relay solenoid 28 of current; whereupon the spring 37 retracts the armature 27, breaking the circuit of solenoid 23. This deenergizes the latter solenoid and hence permits the arms 17, 18, to fall.

Fig. 2 shows the insulated rails 11, 12, well beyond tickler or bridge-warning 17- 18, a position indicative of any suitable arrangement such that the bow or trolley 14 will pass under the raised warning device before the contact of the foremost wheels of the car or train with said rails causes the warning'device to be lowered as described. In this way the bow or pantograph has an unobstructed path, but the warning device is lowered immediately after the bow and pantograph have passed. It will be clear that as long as a pair of wheels of the tram or car are in contact with the rails 11, 12, the warning device will be down, thus making it unnecessary to have the insulated track section 1112 very long, or even extend past the obstruction 10. When the last pairv of wheels leaves the insulated track section the relay 28 is reenergized, wh ch causes the parts to be restored to them initial positions, as shown.

In addition'to the tactual warning as described above, audible and visual warnlngs may be employed. For this purpose the gong 38 and a suitable lamp signal 39 are provided, the latter, for example, being a box having an opaque front with a transparent legend thereon, as for instance, the words low bridge. These devices are 1n parallel with each other and, in series with the source of current 33 through an addltional pair of contacts 40, 41, in the path of the bridge piece 26when the latter is retracted by its spring 37. Hence, when the relay 28 is deenergized, as described above, the gap between contacts 40,41, is brldged, thereby establishing a circuit through the gong 38 and lamp signal 39 as follows: source 33, wire 31, contact 40, and brldgepiece 26 to contact 41. Here the current (11- vides, part flowing through the branch composed of wire 44, gong 38, through wire 32 to the juncture thereof with wire 34, and the other part flowing through the branch composed of wire 42, lamp-signal 39, wlres 42, 43 and 34 to the juncture of wire 34 and wire 32. At this point of juncture the two parts of the current unite and flow through the lower portion of wire 34 to the source 33. This causes the gong to ring, and the words low bridge to be visible, as long as any pair of wheels is in contact with rails 11, 12. As soon, however, as the last pair of wheels leaves the rails'll, 12, the consequent reenergization of the relay solenoid 28 breaks the circuit just traced at the contacts 40, 41, and reestablishes the circuit, first traced, through the solenoid 23.

Instead of having a section of the track insulated, as described above, the arrangement exemplified in Fig. 3 may be employed. In this case a contact rail or bar 45 is provided between the rails 11, 12. One terminal of the source 30 and oneof the wires 29 are then connected to the contact rail 45, while the other terminal and the other wire 29 are connected to a track rail, as 11*. The

leading truck 46 of the car or train carries a contact shoe 47 adapted to eiwage the contact rail and put the same in electrical connection with track rail 11 through the truck frame work and the wheels. If all the cars of the train are provided with contact shoes, or the contact rail is as long as the longest train, the construction and operation of the warning devices can be as shown in Fig. 1; and, similarly, the contact rail 45 can have the same location with respect to the tactual warning device as the insulated track section 1112 has. But to permit the use of cars in the train which are not equipped with the necessary contacts and avoid the provision of an inordinately long contact rail I prefer to reverse the operation of the tactual warning device or tickler: having it normally down, and raising it as the bow or trolley approaches and dropping it again immediately after the bow or trolley has passed. For this purpose the relay contacts are arranged as in Fig. 4, in which the gong 38, visual warning 39, solenoid 23, and the source of current 33 are in series with each other through a single pair of contacts 48, 49. Normally, the relay solenoid 28 is energized, holding the bridge piece 26 away from the contacts and hence leaving the circuit of the warning devices open; but when the contact shoe 47 engages the contact bar or rail 45 the source 30 is short circuited thereby deenergizing relay solenoid 28 and permitting spring 37 to close the aforesaid circuit. VVhereupon the gong rings, the signal 39 glows and armature 22 of solenoid 23 is drawn up with consequent elevation of the tactual warning device or tickler 1718. When the contact shoe leaves the rail 45 the relay 28 is renergized and the other parts are restored to normal condition.

Still another arrangement, employing alternating current is shown in Fig. 5. Here a contact bar or wire 50 is provided alongside of the trolley wire 13 but insulated there M from and in the same horizontal plane. The wires 29 may be connected, one to the bar 50 and the other to one of the track rails 11, 12", through the medium of a suitable trans former 51; or directly, through suitable noninductive resistance (not shown) or in any other convenient and suitable manner. lVith this arrangement it is clear that a relay connected with the wires 29 is normally deenergized but that when the trolley how 14 engages the bar 50 it connects the trolley wire 13 thereto and so supplies current to the primary transformer 51, thereby supplying current to the relay. Hence, if the tactual warning device or tickler is to be normally down, the contacts 48, 49, of Fig. 4, must be on the other side of the bridge piece 26, as in Fig. 5", so that with the relay 28 normally deenergized the bridge piece will be held out of engagement with the contacts.

Then when the bow 14 engages the contact bar or wire 50 the consequent energization of relay 28 closes the circuit of the warning devices. hen the bow leaves the contact bar the relay is deenergized and the normal or initial conditions are restored. If the trolley wire under the overhead obstruction occupies a lower position than elsewhere, warning may be given by suitable wording of the visual device 39, using the Words low wire, for example, instead of or in conjunction with the words low bridge. If the track carries tral'hc in both directions, as is the case with a single track road, warning must be given for trains approaching from both directions. For such purpose, at least a tactual device or tickler must be provided for each side of the obstruction, but as this involves practically a mere duplication of parts it is unnecessary to illustrate the same. If desired (or if necessary, as in the case of a tunnel) the gong and visual warning may be duplicated also.

Under some conditions it may be unnecessary to have the low section of the trolley wire alive or energized, as for example when the road is used for steam as Well as electric traffic. Also in electric traction, it is unnecessary to have the low section energized except while it is engaged by a trolley or other circuit-taking device. A warning system in which this feature is embodied is illustrated diagrannnatically in Fig. 6, in which system the low section of the trolley wire is insulated from the rest and is normally dead, so as to occasion no danger to brakemen of steam trains, but is energized upon the approach of an electric car or train and is again deenergized when the electric locomotive or motor-car of a train has passed it.

In Fig. 6 the track rails below the overhead obstruction 10 are designated by 11, 12. Between the latter and in front of the obstruction is a contact bar or rail 60 adapted to be engaged by a contact shoe 61 carried by the motor-car or locomotive truck 62 so that when so engaged the said bar is electrically connected with the rails 11, 12. Across the contact rail 60 and the rail 12 is a circuit including a source of current (indicated by the transformer 63) and a solenoid 61 whose armature 65 is connected with one end of a lever 66, fulcrumed at 67 and at its end carrying the tickler or tactual warning device 68. Normally the solenoid 64: is deenergized and the tickler is therefore held .down by spring 69, in warning position.

W hen, however, an electrically driven vehicle reaches the contact rail 60 the shoe 61 completes the solenoid circuit through truck 62, track rail 12, wire 70, transformer 63, wires 71 and 72, solenoid 6-1, wire 73 and contact rail 60 back to the shoe or contact 61. This energizes the solenoid 64:, which raises the tickler 68 out of the path of the approaching trolley bow and pantograph (not shown). The winding 74 of solenoid 7 5 is connected in parallel with the solenoid 64 by wires 76, 77, 78, so that when the solenoid 64. is energized solenoid 75 is energized also, which idly retracts the armature 7 9 thereof.

After the solenoid 64 has been energized as described, but before the trolley bow reaches the insulated and normally dead section 13 of the trolley wire 13 under the overhead obstruction 10, the contact shoe 61 engages a second contact bar or rail between the track rails 11, 12. The two contact rails 60, 80, may be arranged side by side but offset longitudinally, as shown, so that the shoe will engage the one before the other; or they may be arranged in line one after the other and separated by an air gap as in Fig. 7, or by an insulator 81v as in Fig. 8. The contact rail 80 is connected to one terminal of a solenoid 82, whose other terminal is connected by wire 83 to wire 76. Hence when the contact shoe 61 reaches the second contact rail or bar 80 a circuit is established from bar 80 through the truck 62, rail 12, wire 70, transformer 63, wires 71, 76, 83, solenoid 82, and wires 81 and 8 1 back to contact bar 80. This energizes the solenoid 82 which draws up its armature '85, raising the lever 86 and bringing contact 87, carried by said lever, into engagement with contact 88. The dead section 13 of the trolley wire is thus connected with the live portion, by way of wires 89, 90, which are connected with said contacts. When the contact shoe leaves bar 60 the solenoid 64 is deenergized, allowing the tickler 68 to drop down behind the trolley bow, and at the same time solenoid 74 is denergized, allowing the spring 91 to advance the armature 7 9 and bring the supporting or looking dog 92 into cooperation with the lever 86. Then when the contact shoe leaves bar 80, thereby breaking the circuit of solenoid 82, the contacts are still held together by the dog 92 underlying the lever 86.

When the electric motor-car or locomotive has passed the obstruction 10 its shoe engages the first of the second pair of contact rails, 60 and 80, and establishes a circuit through wires 93, 84, solenoid 82, wires 83, 76, 71, transformer 63, wire 70, rail 12, truck 62, and shoe 61 back to bar 80. This reenergizes the solenoid 82, whose armature is already in raised position and is held there by the dog 92. Next the shoe engages bar 60, establishing a circuit through wire 94-, solenoid 95, wires 96, 83, 76, 71, transformer 68, wire 70, rail 12, truck 62, and

shoe 61 back to bar or rail 60. Being thus energized, the solenoid 95 draws down its armature 97, which actuates the lever 98 and raises the tickler 99 (on the far side of the obstruction 10) out of the path of the approaching trolley bow. At the same time that solenoid 95 is energized, a parallel circuit is established from wire 94 through wire 100, winding 101 of the two-winding solenoid 75, and wires 102, 83, to wire 76. The last named solenoid then retracts its armature 79, thereby disengaging the dog 92 from lever- 86 which, however, is still retained in raised position, with the contacts 87, 88, closed, by the previously energized solenoid 82'. When the shoe 61 leaves the contact rail 80", after the bow has left the trolley section 13*, the circuit of solenoid 82 is broken; whereupon the lever 86, being no longer held up by the dog 92 or solenoid 82, is drawn down by its spring 103. The contacts 87, 88, are thus separated, so that the trolley section 13 is no longer connected to the energized portion 13 and is therefore again dead. After the trolley bow has passed the tickler 99 the shoe 61 leaves the contact rail thereby breaking the circuit through solenoid 95, which then permits the spring 104 to pull the tickler down to normal position, as shown. At the same time the circuit through winding 101 of solenoid is broken, thereby allowing spring 91 to draw the dog 92 over against the lever 86 as in Fig. 6.

Contact rails 60 are arranged as shown, with the result that the contact shoe on a car or locomotive approaching from the right will engage rail b0 before rail 80 and will leave rail 60 before 80*. The sys tem then operates as described but in the opposite order, tickler 99 being first raised and the dead section 13 energized through the energization of solenoid 7 5 by its winding 101; after which the tickler 99 is dropped behind the trolley bow and the lever 86 is locked in upper position by the deenergization of solenoid 75. Following these operations solenoid 82 is reenergized, the tickler 68 is raised, and solenoid 75 reenergized. Then tickler 68 is dropped behind the trolley bow, solenoid 75 is reenergized, this time by the winding 74, and finally solenoid 82 is deenergized. The parts are thus restored to the normal or initial positions, as in Fig. 6.

In the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 9

' the contact rails between the track rails are dispensed with, and contact wires or bars 110, 111, 110*, 111, are, provided alongside of and in the planes of the trolley wire 13 to coiiperate with the bow 14 of the electric car or locomotive, the said contact wires or bars being also depressed in conformity to the low section 13 of the trolley wire so that the bow will be in contact with the trolley wire whenever and so long as it is in contact with any one or more of the contact bars. The solenoid 113 is connected, in any convenient manner, with the bar 110, as for example through the medium of a step-down transformer 112 Whose primary is connected to the bar 110 and the track rail 11 and whose secondary is in circuit with the solenoid 113, which raises the tickler 114, so that when the primary is supplied with current by the bow 14 making contact with both the trolley wire and bar 110 the solenoid will be energized and the tickler lifted out of the path of the bow. At the same time, the solenoid 115, in parallel with solenoid 113, is energized, thereby swinging the supporting or looking dog 11G idly to the left. The bow next reaches the contact bar 11.1, thereby energizing the primary of the stepdown transformer 117, one terminal of which primary is connected to the bar 111 and the other to the rail 11. The secondary of transformer 117 being connected to the solenoid 118 the latter is energized, drawing up the contact 119 into engagement with contact 120 and so connecting the nor- 0 mally dead section 13 of the trolley wire to the live portion 13. After the bow has passed the raised tickler 114 it leaves the bar 110, whereupon solenoid 113 is deenergized and permits the tickler to drop. At the same time, solenoid 115 is deenergized, and hence permits the spring 121 to draw the dog 116 to the right under the lever 122, locking the latter in raised position. After leaving bar 111, the bow next engages bar 111, and the 9 solenoid 118 is reenergized, after which bar 110 is engaged by the bow and the tickler 123 is raised out of the path of the advancing bow, through the medium of solenoid 124 and transformer 125. At the same time, solenoid 126 is energized, withdrawing the dog 116 from under the lever 122. \Vhen the bow, having passed the trolley wire section 13*, leaves the bar 111 the solenoid 118 is deenergized, whereupon lever 122 falls and separates contacts 119, 120. The trolley wire section 13 is then dead again; after which the bow leaves bar 110*, deenergizing the solenoid 124, which permits the tickler 123 to drop, and also denergizing solenoid 126, which then permits spring 121 to swing the dog 116 idly to the right against the shoulder of the depressed lever 122. All the parts are thus restored to normal or initial position. When the electric car or locomotive is traveling in the opposite direction, approaching the tickler 123 from the right, the above operations are performed in reverse order, as will be readily understood.

Audible and visual warning devices may be employed if desired with the systems illustrated in Figs. 6 and 9. Thus in these figures the gongs 38 and indicators 39 are in parallel with the solenoids 64, 95, and 113, 124, so as to be operative when the solenoids are energized.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the devices herein specifically illustrated and described but can be e d d in other forms Without departure from its proper spirit and scope as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an automatic low-bridge warning system for an electric railway having a trolley wire arranged above the rails, in combination, a tactual warning device adjacent to the trolley wire, mechanism for shifting the warning device relatively to the trolley wire, and means set in operation by an approaching vehicle traveling on the track rails to actuate said mechanism.

2. In an automatic low-bridge warning system for an electric railway having a trolley wire arranged above the rails, in combination, a tactual warning device adjacent to the trolley wire; power-actuated mechanism for shifting the warning device relatively to the trolley wire, and electromagnetic controlling means for said mechanism, dependent for operation upon the approach of a vehicle traveling on the rails.

8. In an automatic low-bridge warning system for an electric railway having a trolley wire arranged above the rails, in combination, a tactual warning device adjacent to the trolley wire and normally in the path of: a current-taking device moving along the trolley wire, and means dependent for operation upon the approach of a vehicle traveling on the rails to shift the warning device out of the path of the current taking device.

4. In an automatic low-bridge warning system for an electric railway having a trolley wire arranged above the rails, in combination, a tactual warning device adjacent to the trolley wire and movable relatively thereto, mechanism for shifting the said warning device, visual and audible warning devices associated with the said mechanism for operation, and controlling means for said mechanism, dependent for operation upon the approach of a vehicle traveling on the rails.

5. In an automatic low-bridge warning system for an electric railway having a trolley wire arranged above the rails, in combination, a tactual warning device adj acent to the trolley wire and movable relatively thereto, electro-mechanical means to actuate the said warning device and de pendent for operation upon the approach of a vehicle traveling on the rails, and electrically operated audible and visual warning devices associated with said mechanism for operation simultaneously therewith.

6. In an automatic low-bridge warning system for an electric railway having a trolley wire arranged above the rails, in combination, a trolley wire having a section insulated from the rest, a tactual warning device movable relatively to the trolley wire, mechanism for shifting the warning device, mechanism for connecting the insulated section of the trolley wire to a source of current, and controlling means for said mechanisms dependent for operation upon the approach of a vehicle traveling on the rails.

7. In an automatic low-bridge warning system for an electric railway, having a trolley wire arranged above the rails, in combination, a trolley wire having a section insulated at its ends from the rest of the wire, a movable tactual warning device adjacent to the said insulated section, mechanism for shifting the warning device, mechanism for connecting the insulated section electrically to the rest of the trolley wire, and controlling means for said mechanisms dependent for operation upon the approach of a vehicle traveling on the the rails.

8. In an automatic low-bridge warning system for an electric railway having a trolley wire arranged above the rails, in combination, a trolley wire having an insulated section, a tactual warning device movable relatively to the trolley wire, mechanism for shifting the warning device, mech anism for connecting the said insulated section of the trolley wire to a source of current, and electromagnetic actuating means for said mechanisms having parts adapted to cooperate with a device carried by a vehicle traveling on the rails, whereby upon the approach of a vehicle equipped with such device the said mechanisms will be ac tuated to shift the tactual warning device and connect the insulated trolley wire sec tion to the source of current.

9. In an automatic low-bridge warning system for an electric railway having a trolley wire arranged above the rails, in combination, a normally live trolley wire having an insulated and normally dead section; a tactual warning device movable relatively to the trolley wire; electro-mechanical means for shifting the tactual warning device and for electrically connecting the nor-.

mally dead section of the trolley wire to the normally live section, said means including contact devices adjacent to the path of the vehicles traveling on the rails; a contact device carried by a vehicle to cooperate with the first named contact devices, whereby to cause said means to operate; and means to maintain the connection of the normally dead section of the trolley wire to the normally live section until the said section has been passed by the vehicle.

10. In a system for the purpose described, the combination of a normally live trolley wire having a normally dead section; a tactual warning device adjacent to the trolley wire; means for actuating the warning device, including a circuit having a contact adjacent to the path of vehicles traveling on the rails; a contact, carried by a vehicle traveling on the rails, to cooperate with the first named contact; and means llf for electrically connecting the normally dead section to the normally live portion of the trolley wire, said means including a circuit having a contact in the path of the contact carried by the vehicle, whereby the said normally dead section will be electrically connected to the normally energized portion of the trolley Wire upon the predetermined approach of the contact-carrying vehicle.

11. In an automatic low-bridge warning system for an electric railway having a trolley wirearranged above the rails, in combination, tactual warning devices adjacent to the trolley wire in front and rear of an overhead obstruction; and means, dependent for operation upon approach and recession of a vehicle traveling on the rails, to shift the tactual warning devices relatively to the trolley Wire at appropriate times.

12. In an automatic low-bridge warning system for an electric railway having a trolley arranged ZLbOXG the rails, in combination, tactual warning devices in the path of a contact moving along the trolley wire and located in front and rear of an overhead obstruction; and means, set in operation by a vehicle moving in either direction on the rails, to raise and lower the warning devices in succession.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERNEST ROWLAND HILL. lVitnesses:

M. LAWSON DYER, S. S. DUNHAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0. 

